SHOWING UP BEFORE YOU FEEL READY

 

I was thinking this morning.... A little over a year ago, I stepped into a new role with expectations that felt both exciting and intimidating. As 2025 began, I wrestled with a familiar tension many leaders know well. If I dove in fully, my shortcomings might be exposed. If I slowed down to learn the ropes, it might look like I wasn’t ready. So I chose a third option—I showed up. Fully. Consistently. Relentlessly.

I brought energy into every room. I attended every meeting. I responded to every email. I leaned into leadership for my team. One colleague summed it up in classic Nigerian parlance: “Oga, your ginger dey ginger our ginger.” And when I found myself in conversations where I knew very little? I stayed present. I listened intently and nodded vigorously, not to pretend I knew it all, but to signal commitment, curiosity, and ownership.

Something interesting happened a few months in. I stopped playing the role and started living it. The work no longer felt foreign. The expectations no longer felt overwhelming. By the close of 2025, the results spoke clearly: targets surpassed, milestones achieved, confidence earned.

As I reflect and look ahead to 2026, one lesson stands out. Just as it is said that in order to fall asleep, you have to first pretend to be asleep, sometimes, growth begins with behaviour before belief. The Gen-Zs will rather say, you fake it till you make it. This isn’t about empty posturing. It’s about disciplined action. Showing up as the person you aspire to be. Doing the work the way it should be done.

Visualization matters. Affirmations help. But progress in 2026 will demand movement. Don’t just speak about who you want to become, prepare for it. Act like it. Work towards it. Build the capacity to receive the opportunity when it comes.

There’s also a cautionary wisdom from home: “E go land, e go land, na im make butterfly take carry person enter bush.” Hope without preparation can be dangerous. Show up. Do the work. Stay grounded. That’s how you grow into the future you’re aiming for. Proverbs 14:23 highlights that hard work leads to profit, while talk alone results in poverty.

Thanks to everyone that made 2025 phenomenal and this is wishing all my beautiful colleagues and friends a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

PREPARING FOR TOMORROW

 

I was thinking this morning... As 2025 winds down in a few days, I find myself quietly reflective. It feels almost surreal that a full year has passed since our rare family reunion—grandparents, parents, and grandchildren together under one roof, celebrating life, legacy, and love. Today, my thoughts drift toward 2026 and beyond. With that reflection comes a familiar companion: concern about what the future holds.

That concern deepened recently when someone close to our family was unexpectedly retired after 20 years of service, effective January 1, 2026. Overnight, certainty gave way to questions. For anyone in that position, the fear was real: What next?

Almost in the same breath, I received a message from a senior friend announcing his 60th birthday and retirement after a long, distinguished career spanning banking and public service. As I read his words, another quiet tug at the heart followed. Life’s seasons are unmistakable. The carefree years (0–30) are behind him. The productive years (30–60) have just concluded. He has now entered what many call the final season (60–90). Again, the same question surfaced: What does the future hold?

A new year, an early exit from work, or retirement at fullness all share one thing in common—uncertainty. And uncertainty often breeds worry. Yet the older I get, the clearer one truth becomes: the best way to prepare for the future is to take responsibility for today.

What are you doing now about your health, your finances, and your career? The wisdom in pidgin says it plainly: “Who naked no dey put hand for pocket.” If you don’t clothe yourself today, there will be no pocket to reach into tomorrow. And as another saying goes, “Na ‘I go do am tomorrow’ make fowl no fit fly like other birds.”

When we focus intentionally on what we can do today, worry about tomorrow eventually dies of exhaustion. Or, as Scripture reminds us: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” The future will always be uncertain. Our responsibility is to live wisely, deliberately, and fully—today.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE COURAGE TO SLOW DOWN

 

I was thinking this morning… With over 50 weeks of 2025 behind us, I finally took my leave to reconnect with family and reclaim some warmth beyond work. At Port Harcourt International Airport, I ran into a colleague also headed to Lagos. Like many end-of-year conversations, ours revolved around how relentless the year had been and why slowing down must now be intentional, not accidental.

Too often, our passion for delivery makes us deaf to the signals our bodies send. The mild headaches. The persistent fatigue. The body aches. We acknowledge them briefly, then silence them with analgesics and what I jokingly call “gbogbo-loshe”—that familiar mix of garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, lemon, and turmeric. The body whispers, slow down and rest. Our ambition shouts back, not now—there is rest after death.

As I shared how stressed I had been lately, my colleague said something that stayed with me. Since turning 50, she had consciously decided to take life easier. She reminded me of four colleagues who had suffered minor strokes in recent years. Thankfully, all recovered. Her personal rule now is simple: never push beyond what her body can handle.

The lesson deepened when we landed in Lagos. Another colleague on the same flight told me he was heading to see yet another of our peers, someone who had collapsed twice from blood clots (DVT) and narrowly escaped death. Today, he is alive, recovering, and intentionally taking life slower.

As the year winds down, many of us are making one last push to hit targets that seem just out of reach. Ambition is good. Discipline is admirable. But burning yourself out is not a badge of honour. This season offers us something valuable: space to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. The goal should be to count our blessings and not obsess over what didn’t go as planned.

As my friend and sister, Joyce Daniels (The Queen of Talk), recently reminded us: be kind to yourself as the year closes. There is still so much ahead and you will need your health to enjoy it. Productivity is meaningless without wellbeing. Cheers to a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. 2nd Timothy 3:7 is instructive.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

WHEN A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IS WIDOWED

 

I was thinking this morning… Recently, my wife engaged a professional to review the social media performance of her business. The audit revealed clear gaps and offered practical recommendations. She shared the report with the staff responsible for digital marketing—hoping it would inspire improvement.

Instead, the staff member resigned, insisting she was not being appreciated. After attempts to persuade her failed, the role was advertised. Within weeks, a new hire stepped in—and immediately delivered superior results.

As my wife reflected on how quickly things turned around, a familiar Nigerian saying came to mind: “When a beautiful or blessed woman is widowed, the elders waste no time in burying her husband.” In other words, life moves on… quickly. The lessons from this experience echoed during my department's team bonding event days later.

First, not everyone is meant to sail with the team forever. In life and leadership, people play different roles. Some are propellers—they drive momentum, push you forward, and help you reach new horizons. Others are anchors or bollards—useful for stability, grounding, or preventing drift, but not for movement. A ship cannot sail with a bollard. Seasons change, and so do the people needed for the journey.

There are too many people who do very little to develop themselves but believe they are the best thing to have happened to the world after sliced bread. I like the account of Alexander the Great, who after returning from a fierce battle met a sleeping soldier and asked what his name was. The soldier answered 'Alexander.' Alexander the Great then said "You cannot answer Alexander and be idle. You either change your conduct or change your name". 

It's not enough to have a job, be good at it. Don't loaf around during work times. For those without a job, do something to get off the welfare list. Develop yourself because “When a beautiful or blessed woman is widowed, the elders waste no time in burying her husband.” Opportunities don’t wait. Excellence ensures you’re the one they run to. Remember Colossians 3:23.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE DAY 24 MADE SENSE

 

I was thinking this morning.... It's been 24 hours since I had this strange experience. I am still not sure if it was a dream, or an out-of-body encounter. It started like I was the main character in a movie shot at 24 frames per second (fps).

I saw my younger self dressed like a bling-bling American rapper adorned with a number of 24-carat gold chains. I was introduced to this damsel, who was about 24 years old.

We both walked before a podium with a man dressed in all white. Like in Revelation 4:4 there were 24 elders around the podium, all smiling at us. I was initially troubled in my subconscious, wondering if we were before the judgement seat.

While still wondering what was going on, the man raised a board with words written on them that I couldn't decode. The words had all 24 letters of the greek alphabet. At this point, it felt like I would need a Daniel for interpretation and construction. I was really confused.

Without saying a word, we were served freshly cooked rice garnished with avocado and served in clay pots. What is going on? I asked. Still no reply but another note that says rice and avocados have 24 pairs of chromosomes.

"We are not going to touch this food until I am told what's going on. Just make it make sense, please." I pleaded with a slightly raised voice. He smiled and answered in a soft tone, it's your 24th wedding anniversary also known as earthenware i.e. clay pots or glazed pottery.

Phew!!! It was a dream afterall.

And so, on this anniversary, my heart settles on this truth: Just like we each have 24 ribs protecting the heart and lungs, marriage, too, is a kind of ribcage—protecting dreams, shielding vulnerabilities, guarding the life we’re building.

After 24 years, I am grateful. Humbled. Hopeful. And ready for the chapters ahead.

Happy 24th anniversary to us.

THE POWER OF A PUSH

 

I was thinking this morning… Two seemingly unrelated moments at work this past week converged into one powerful reminder about progress, leadership, and the hidden hands that propel us forward.

The first was a close-out presentation by a graduate trainee who had spent a year in my department. Her delivery was strong, confident, and well-received. But my mind went back to her early days when she was slow, hesitant and unsure of how to take on big assignments.

At the time, I encouraged her to schedule weekly one-on-one sessions with key team leads, including myself. She showed up consistently. She listened, learned, practiced, and grew. Month after month, I watched her transform into someone who now stands tall in her competence.

As she took a bow after her presentation, an old English proverb crossed my mind: “A rolling stone gathers no moss.” But the Warri pidgin English version said it better: “A rolling stone — na person push am.”

The second moment came later that same day, during an appreciation hangout I organised for my team. The event was held at a facility we had recently leased to what we assumed was a small businesswoman. Within a few short weeks, she had completely transformed the place.

I wondered how she pulled it off so quickly. Then I learned she had the backing of a major financier. Again, the same proverb echoed — “A rolling stone — na person push am.” Progress often has an unseen catalyst.

The real insight to me was that while some people have the internal drive to roll forward on their own, many simply need a push — a spark, an advocate, a believer. And that push can change everything.

Throughout my career, I’ve been moved forward by unexpected people who chose to invest in me. Their support made all the difference. As leaders, we must never forget the power of that nudge. Every so often, choose someone to push — to mentor, to encourage, to sponsor. Because sometimes the distance between potential and performance… is just one push.

Ephesians 4:29, says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs".

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE HUNTER AND THE GOAT

 

I was thinking this morning.... Last week I noticed an anomaly in one of my bathrooms. Whenever I open the sink tap, water flows from the shower tap. I couldn't understand why and had to call my plumber. When he arrived, I relayed the problem to him. He just turned the hot water knob and the problem was solved. He then explained that the reason the shower tap flowed when the sink tap was opened was because someone had left the hot water tap in the open position. I thanked him as he left. Zero kobo requested.

Same day, my young wife came to me with one of her handbags that the hook in the handle/strap had pulled off. This had happened days before, and she had taken it to a cobbler but it had happened again. As soon as I saw the problem, I depressed a portion of the hook and it snapped into position. Problem solved. My young wife stood there puzzled but smiling and then said, 'you mean it was just pushing this hook the right way that the cobbler took N5,000 for?' The cobbler had made sure he didn't fix the strap in her presence by asking her to come back in 30 mins.

Both actions were simple. But the mindset behind them was very different. One saw “turning a knob” as too small to be paid for. The other saw “pressing a hook” as an opportunity to make quick money. What exactly is work that deserves to be paid for? At what point does ‘easy money’ become something else entirely?

The reflection reminded me of an African proverb that says a hunter that comes back home with a goat, is a thief. The reasoning behind the proverb is that goats are domestic, while hunters are meant to hunt in the forest. You can't go hunting in someone's backyard. Could that be the case of the cobbler?

Does making easy money make one a thief? Could that be regarded as a low hanging fruit? When next you see a poor Nigerian gets into a political position and few months after, comes back home with luxury cars, just remember the proverb. Easy money feels good. But money earned with integrity feels better — and lasts longer. "Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (Prov 3:11).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey